Visa Information for Prospective Students

Visa Types

If you want to study a short course in the UK, such as an English Language course, you might be able to apply for a Short-term study visa(formally known as Student Visitor visa)

If you want to study for longer than 6 months, you will need to apply for a Tier 4 student visa

If you are applying for a Tier 4 visa, you may be able to apply to bring your family members (dependants) to the UK whilst you are studying here, depending on the level and/or length of your course.

The Immigration Rules and the requirements for each visa category can change with very little notice so always make sure you check the current guidance at the time you are getting ready to apply.

Do I need a visa?

The documents required to enter the UK are different depending on which country you come from.

Most nationals from non-EEA states who wish to come to the UK to study courses longer than 6 months are required to obtain a visa (also called 'entry clearance') before coming to the UK.

EU/EEA nationals have the right of residence during their course, provided that they have sufficient means to support themselves without recourse to public funds, therefore EU/EEA nationals are usually admitted to the UK with the minimum formalities and only need to show a valid passport or identity card.

Nationals from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates will not require prior entry clearance to come to the UK as a visitor, including as a student visitor for up to six months, if they complete a free online Electronic Visa Waiver document. This document will be valid for entry to the UK on one occasion only and is restricted to specific journeys. We must receive a copy of the entry stamp in the same way as we must keep copies of student visas.

Visa applications

When to apply

You can apply for the visa at any time in the 3 months leading up to your course start date. Do not leave it until shortly before you travel to apply for your visa as it may take longer than expected to process the the application. It is your responsibility to allow yourself enough time to meet all the requirements of the visa application and apply for the visa with enough time for the application to be processed and the documents returned to you before you make your travel arrangements.

If you are applying inside the UK it is important to apply before your current visa expires. The University of Wolverhampton cannot support applications from overstayers. The University Visa and Immigration Support Officer will be able to help you with your application. You can arrange an appointment for assistance with your visa application by emailing visa-enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

How to apply

Our Applying for Visas page has detailed information about applying for a visa. The application form is completed online and then you will need to attend an appointment in order to have your biometric data captured and to submit your documents/attend an interview. Two new films (filmed in India and China with English subtitles but applicable to all students) are also aimed at helping international students understand the visa application process.

Your responsibilities

As a genuine student applying to study in the UK, you also have a number of responsibilities at the stage of applying for a visa. These are detailed on our Your Responsibilities page.

Customer Satisfaction Survey

The UK Visas & Immigration service have launched a new online customer satisfaction survey to find out how well the application process meets customers' needs and how they can improve in the future. You will be invited to complete this survey upon receiving a decision on your application. All responses will be completely anonymous; it cannot and will not be linked with your visa application in any way.

Phone calls from UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI)

The UKVI should always pre-arrange any call to you if they have a query about your visa application and will never ask for payment over the telephone.

If you receive a phone call without prior notice and/or asking for a payment, you are advised to ask the caller for details that can confirm their identity and end the call. You can always arrange for them to call at another time or for you to call them back in order to confirm their identity. A genuine caller will not mind you doing this.

If you have any concerns about any phone call reporting to be from the Home Office please seek further help from the Visa & Immigration Support Officer in MX Student Centre with as much information about the call as possible. Try to get the caller's name and telephone number and any other information that could verify their identity.